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Egypt’s cotton fields expand as demand grows

By Neil Halligan
Egyprt cotton Shutterstock/M. Farouk
Its extra long staple fibres make Egyptian cotton some of the softest and most durable in the world
  • Area increased to 31,200 acres
  • 22% set aside for seed growing
  • 2024 output to be 100,000 tonnes

The amount of land in Egypt devoted to growing cotton has increased by almost a quarter as global demand for the crop rises.

The area available nationwide for cotton has expanded by 23 percent from 255,000 acres to 311,700, the Ministry of Agriculture announced. 

It said 70,584 acres of the land (22 percent) has been earmarked for seed production to ensure there will be a plentiful supply in coming seasons. 

The ministry said it expects this year’s cotton crop to yield between 1 million and 1.2 million quintals. One quintal is 100 kilograms, and 10 are equal to a tonne.

In August, the government announced that Egypt’s output of cotton reached 2.1 million quintals in 2023. More than 80 percent of the crop was either extra-long or long staple cotton, with the remainder being medium and short staple.

The extra-long staple fibres, which can be up to two inches long, make Egyptian cotton some of the softest and most durable in the world.

Cotton in Egypt is primarily grown in the Nile delta and Upper Egypt.

The cotton season typically lasts from March to October, which allows the cotton plants to mature fully and produce the long, fine fibres that Egyptian cotton is renowned for.

Egyptian cotton is an important part of the country’s agricultural landscape, contributing 12 percent of export earnings.

At the same time, textiles and spinning account for 26 percent of Egypt’s total industrial production.

Largest market

India is Egypt’s largest export market for cotton, followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Italy. 

Egypt’s agricultural exports hit record levels last year, with 7.5 million tonnes of agricultural produce delivered to overseas markets. 

The Ministry of Agriculture said the total value of agricultural exports in 2023 was $8.8 billion.

A US Department of Agriculture report earlier this year put Egypt on track to export 2 million tonnes of oranges for the current financial year, 25 percent more than in the 2023-24 financial year.

In May, the country’s president Abdel Fattah El Sisi inaugurated the first phase of the Future of Egypt project, which seeks to reclaim 924,000 hectares of land for agricultural use.

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